This invention relates to a nixtamalized farinaceous component having pronounced masa flavor. More particularly, this invention relates to a food product comprising a major portion of a non-nixtamalized component substantially free of masa flavor and minor portion of a nixtamalized corn flour having pronounced masa flavor wherein the nixtamalized corn flour component is produced by heating a superficially dry composition comprising corn flour, alkaline compound and water in a closed system to develop a pronounced masa flavor without pasting the starch component of the corn flour and preferably cooling the composition to ambient conditions while maintaining the water content of the composition in the closed system at 2% to 20% by weight of the composition.
Flours, such as wheat and rye, are used extensively to produce breads (wheat and rye), pastas (wheat), etc. However, these products without other additives are relatively bland.
Whole or ground corn are commonly nixtamalized (treated with alkali) to provide a so-called masa flavor to food products such as corn tortillas and corn chips. While tortillas and corn chips have a distinctively pleasant taste, the whole or ground corn can not be baked into fluffy breads or processed into pasta and noodles, such as those produced from wheat flour.
Numerous references describe the nixtamalization of corn flours. However, most of these produce a product containing the corn starch in a partially gelatinized form which is necessary for preparing the partially gelatinized dough sheets used in forming corn tortillas, corn chips, etc. The nixtamalized corn flour containing starch in a partially gelatinized form tends to deteriorate unless refrigerated and generally has to be dried before it can be blended with other superficially dry farinaceous flours.
Mendoza U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,452 describes a method of producing a nixtamalized corn flour containing substantially unpasted starch in a continuous process having a residence time of about 5 to 10 minutes at about 80.degree. C. to 120.degree. C. Unfortunately, the product is under nixtamalized (low in masa flavor) due to the relatively low levels of lime (up to 0.04% by weight) and the short residence time.
The general object of this invention is to provide food products containing a major portion of a non-nixtamalized product with a masa flavor. A more specific object of this invention is to provide a masa flavor to wheat food products. Other objects appear hereinafter.
The general object of this invention can be attained with compositions comprising a major portion of an under or non-nixtamalized food product, preferably a farinaceous product, and a minor portion of nixtamalized corn flour component having a pronounced masa flavor wherein the nixtamalized corn flour component is produced by heating a superficially dry composition comprising corn flour, alkaline compound and water in a closed system to develop a pronounced masa flavor without pasting the starch component of the corn flour and preferably cooling the composition to ambient conditions, while maintaining the water content of the composition in the closed system at 2% to 20% by weight of the composition and the alkaline compound is an alkali or alkaline earth metal compound in a concentration of at least 0.2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight corn flour on a dry solids basis (d.s.b.).
Briefly, the nixtamalized corn flour having pronounced masa flavor can be formed by heating together in a closed system corn flour, water and alkaline compound continuously or batchwise, preferably cooling the composition to ambient conditions, without pasting the starch component of the corn flour while maintaining the water content of the composition in the closed system at 2% to 20% by weight.
For purposes of this invention it is essential that the alkaline compound be present in a concentration of at least 0.2% by weight based on the weight of the corn flour (d.s.b.) to attain the necessary masa concentrate flavor, i.e. at least 5 times the maximum alkaline compound concentration disclosed in Mendoza U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,452.
Corn flour suitable for nixtamalization can be whole ground corn containing the germ and bran portion of the corn kernel, dry milled corn flour containing about 70% to 90% by weight d.s.b. (dry solid basis) granular corn starch which is substantially free of the germ and bran of the corn kernel, etc. Dry milled degermed corn flour is preferred since farinaceous products therefrom do not contain dark specs from the bran and germ.
For purposes of this invention, it is essential that the corn flour composition undergoing nixtamalization contain from about 0.3 to 6 parts by weight fat per 100 parts by weight corn flour (d.s.b.), preferably 1.0 to 2.8 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight corn flour (d.s.b.). In general, the higher the fat content the more pronounced the masa flavor of the nixtamalized flour.
Suitable alkaline materials useful in the nixtamalization include alkali metal hydroxides and carbonates and alkaline earth metal oxides and hydroxides such as calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium bicarbonate, potassium hydroxide, etc. in a concentration of about 0.2 to 2 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight corn flour (d.s.b.) preferably about 0.5 to 1.5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight corn flour (d.s.b.).
The water content (total concentration of moisture in the corn flour and added water) of the nixtamalization blend (corn flour, alkaline compound and water) must be maintained in the range of about 2% to 20% by weight preferably 10% to 14% by weight, in order to provide enough water to activate the caustic without pasting the starch during nixtamalization. Loss of the water results in reduced or limited nixtamalization and masa flavor formation.
As indicated above, the corn flour, alkaline compound and water are heated in a closed system. In a batch system the corn flour is preferably maintained at about 150.degree. C. to 250.degree. F., preferably 180.degree. C. to 210.degree. F. for a time sufficient to provide a pronounced masa flavor to the corn flour (e.g. 30 minutes to 2 hours). In general, the higher the temperature, the faster the corn flour takes on the desired masa flavor and the more likely the granular starch is to paste.
After the masa flavored corn flour is cooled to room temperature, it can be shipped to the ultimate user for blending with under or non-nixtamalized product or blended prior to shipment. In either case a food product containing a major portion of an under or non-nixtamalized food product, preferably a farinaceous component, and a minor portion of a nixtamaliz;ed farinaceous component having a pronounced masa flavor can be formed.
Suitable under or non-nixtamalized food products useful in this invention include farinaceous flours such as wheat flour, rye flour, etc.
The weight ratio of nixtamalized farinaceous component having a pronounced masa flavor to under or non-nixtamalized component can range from about 1:1 to 1:20 parts by weight (d.s.b.), preferably 1:2 to 1:10 parts by weight.
While this invention is primarily directed to food products comprising a major portion of an under or non-nixtamalized farinaceous component and a minor portion of a nixtamalized farinaceous component having pronounced masa flavor, the nixtamalized farinaceous material can be advantageously added to other food products, such as salsa sauces, meat products, vegetables, etc.